The Universe Is a Friendly Place

The “logo” for my
public speaking enterprise

A handout poem

By Moristotle

About 30 years ago, I got it into my head that I wanted to be, and could be, a public speaker. I joined Chapel Hill’s Toastmasters Club and participated in speech contests, a number of which I won. My wife and I drove to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, during the OJ Simpson trial (1995) so I could participate in the regional finals (I did not win this one).
    During my first decade as a technical communicator at IBM, I had discovered a strong interest in “creative problem solving” and developed a short training course for my colleagues. One of those colleagues and I co-presented the course at an annual conference of the Society for Technical Communication, to an audience of several hundred. I enjoyed writing papers for the STC and presenting them at conferences; I secretly enjoyed these activities more than technical writing and editing.
    These conferences always had a keynote speaker, and one of them was a young motivational speaker who wowed us all with his dynamic energy. He suggested that when someone asks us how we are, we answer with gusto, “I’m superfantastic!”
    For a long time, that was my usual way of answering how I was, and I have continued to say it occasionally ever since, sometimes even without being asked. There’s something about saying that with gusto that improves how you feel – improves how I feel, at any rate. I was soon dreaming of becoming a motivational speaker myself. Why not? I could be dynamic.
    Taking action, I began billing myself as “Morris Dean, In a Matter of Speaking” and wrote a 32-line poem, “The Universe Is a Friendly Place,” to use on an 8.5" x 3.6" handout, along with my contact information.
    At the time, I thought the handout poem was pretty good, but when I discovered one of the handouts a couple of weeks ago, I tried to improve the poem a bit:

The Universe Is a Friendly Place (revised)

Let what I’ve said to you tonight
   be a word unto the wise,
for maybe the dog in your life
   is an angel in disguise.

If you let humor be your guide,
   the angel will show you how
to take a walk on the light side
   and live in the ha and now.

If your world ever goes upside down,
   keep a smile upon your face,
because life need not wear a frown;
   Earth, our home, is a friendly place.

If happenings should intertwine
   to fashion up a scarecrow,
just keep your face to the sunshine—
   and you won’t see the shadow.

And when you’re cut with a knife,
   don’t twist your face to say “Why me?”
but start to renew your life
   and imagine what next can be.

Providence will move to aid you,
   the Universe will conspire,
when you listen closely to its coo
   and go after your heart’s desire.

Love every day in many ways
   rains on us the blessing, grace;
love can make our days be holidays,
   love shows a kind and friendly face.

Whatever things come to amaze,
   whatever becomes beatitude,
if you have any gift of praise,
   sing out in joy your gratitude.

So, how did that work out for me, in a manner of speaking? After a couple of gigs that left me exhausted, I concluded (I hope not too quickly, but it’s too late now) that I just didn’t have the physical stamina demanded of a “dynamic” public speaker. 
       I realize now that my decision to give up could have been a failure to live up to the promise of my handout, that “Providence will...aid you...when you go after your heart’s desire.” Or, was it maybe not really my heart’s desire? I don’t think I’m to the end of this story yet. It may need for me to write a “Goines On” vignette or two....
_______________
For anyone interested, here is the original text of the poem:

The Universe Is a Friendly Place
(1990s version)

Let what I’ve said to you tonight
   be a word unto the wise,
for may be the dog in your life
   is an angel in disguise.

If you let humor be your guide,
   the angel will show you how
to take a walk on the light side
   and live in the ha and now.

If your world be turned upside down,
   keep a smile upon your face,
because God doesn’t wear a frown
   and Earth is a friendly place.

If happenings should intertwine
   to make your life a scarecrow,
just keep your face to the sunshine—
   you cannot see the shadow.

And if you be cut with a knife,
   don’t look back and ask, Why me?,
but start to get a whole new life
   and build on What next? can be.

Providence will move to aid you,
   the universe will conspire,
when you have the knowing, faith, to
   go after your heart’s desire.

God everyday in many ways
   rains on us the blessing, grace,
and makes our days be holidays—
   the world has a friendly face.

Whatsoever things can amaze,
   whatever beatitude,
if there be any gift of praise,
   think on these things gratitude.

Copyright © 2023 by Moristotle